The Freestore Foodbank announces a $50,000 grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation to fund its School Pantry program, a child hunger initiative that helps to make sure low-income families have a readily accessible source of healthy and nutritious food to prepare at home.

The grant is part of the Morgan Stanley Foundation’s recently announced $8 million, four-year pledge to support Feeding America, a nationwide network of 200 food banks, and its children’s hunger and produce programs. Since the firm’s partnership with Feeding America launched in 2009, the Foundation has given over $21 million, including $110,000 to the Freestore Foodbank.

“We are thrilled to receive this important grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation in support of our efforts to deliver more nutritious meals to children and families in Cincinnati,” said Kurt Reiber, President and CEO of the Freestore Foodbank. “Morgan Stanley and its employees provide vital support to our efforts by generous contributions like this.”

“We are honored to be able to help the Freestore Foodbank in its important fight against child hunger,” said Morgan Stanley Complex Manager Rusty Clark. “Our employees volunteer regularly with Freestore, so we are delighted to extend our support through this grant and provide even more children with the foods they need to learn, grow and thrive.”

“Grants like this from Morgan Stanley make a vital difference in our efforts to provide children with the nutritious meals they need every day,” said Nancy Curby, Interim Senior Vice President of Development at Feeding America. “More than 13 million children in the United States live at risk of hunger. Together, we can solve hunger and ensure that children have the fuel they need to grow healthy and strong.”